Bloody Nightmares
by Totally-Out-Of-It
Summary: People have been getting attacked in the woods. Naruto’s feeling sick. Sasuke could be the final victim. What’s going on?
1. Chapter 1

**Title :** Bloody Nightmares

**Summary :** People have been getting attacked in the woods. Naruto's feeling sick. Sasuke could be the final victim. What's going on?

* * *

How about we say they're...14...15...in this story, ok? 

**Chapter 1**

I'm running...I'm in a forest. I can tell. I can not see, but the senses! I can smell the trees, the fresh and cold winter air. I can feel the ground beneath my bare feet. The warmth of my breath as it flies from my mouth.

I can hear everything. Taste everything. I can smell...everything. All I can't do...is see.

What's that? I hear a voice.

I feel. I feel hungry.

Now I'm gone like the wind. My feet barely touch the cold, frozen ground before they're up again. I hear a gasp, then a familiar yell. I know you...I know your voice...Who are you?

-

Naruto sat up with a gasp. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard. He realized, that he was shaking. Standing up, Naruto fell down. His legs wouldn't hold him.

Somehow, about 30 minutes later, the blonde had made it to the shower. He turned on the water and got undressed. He stepped sloppily into the tub and was hit with freezing cold water. It felt like sitting under a waterfall to him.

It stung. The water felt like needles against already numb skin. It felt like he was cut...all over. But, checking, he found no marks...no wounds.

Sighing, Naruto found he could stand without using the wall and soon, he was ready for the day.

-

"O-Ohayo!" Naruto called, stopping at the bridge they met at. Sasuke glanced, looked away, and looked back. "What?" he asked, annoyed.

"You're pale..." he said simply. Naruto blinked and felt his face.

"Ohayo Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called when she arrived 1 hour later.

Naruto was sitting on the railing of the bridge, and smiled brightly at Sakura as she approached. Sasuke glanced up, but not at Sakura. He was glancing at how pale Naruto was...Not that the blonde was really pale, but he was pale enough that Sasuke's keen eyes had picked it up.

"Ohayo Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered, she nodded at him then turned to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun! I-AH!" Sakura screamed when Kakashi suddenly appeared, looking grim.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto gasped. "You're on time..."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, knowing their sensei only came at this time when something bad had happened or it was urgent.

"Ino was attacked." he said in the most serious tone possible.

"What! Th-that's impossible! I was with her yesterday!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Apparently, last night, she ventured into the woods and was attacked by an unknown creature." Kakashi explained.

"Is she alright?" Naruto asked, paling even more.

"We're going to the hospital to see her." the silver haired man informed them sternly, turning and walking away. Sakura, worried almost to death, ran after him.

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other before they, too, hurried to catch up.

-

"Ino? Where's Ino?" Sakura asked when they entered. The doctor shook his head.

"I'm afraid she's gone into a coma." Sakura gasped loudly, Naruto re-paled. "The wounds were not fatal. It's possible that she could wake up at any moment." They calmed.

"Can I stay with her?" Sakura asked softly. The doctor paused, then nodded.

"Only you. Others can come and visit, but not too many." he then turned and led them all to the blonde's room.

Sakura was at her best friend's side in a moment, Naruto hung back a bit, and Sasuke leaned against the far wall. Kakashi was next to Sakura. The pink haired girl looked at the bandages.

"It looks like an animal attack..." she picked up the clipboard. "One bite to the neck, a few on her arms...claw marks on her wrists...as if it were holding her down..." she began to cry softly. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"I believe it was of the canine family." he muttered. "Though, it didn't seem to be out to kill. Perhaps she injured it, or maybe it got bored and ran off."

"Maybe it just wanted to know the feel of flesh in it's mouth. To savor the taste of a human..." Naruto muttered, loud enough to be heard.

There was silence as three pairs of eyes turned to look at him.

-

Sakura had stayed at the hospital after the rest of them left. Sasuke had left first, having not enjoyed hospitals...ever. Naruto had left after telling Sakura that Ino'd be alright. Kakashi had stayed with her until he was called away by the 3rd.

Naruto was walking through town now. It was about 6 at night. He paused and shook his head. Why was he so tired? Must've had something to do with the paleness Sasuke had mentioned that morning. Dammit! He hated it when Sasuke was right.

Suddenly, he stumbled over nothing and stopped walking completely. Damn, he was really losing it, tripping over nothing.

"Get home dobe, before you pass out in the street." a taunting voice commented next to his ear before Sasuke came into his line of view and then kept walking.

"Shut up!" he yelled, causing several people to stare. He may hate Sasuke being right, but he was feeling dizzy, so he went home.

* * *

End Chapter 1! 

Ano...Do you want Previews at the end of the chapters?...There should only be about...5 chapters...maybe 6...I think...Do you-Should I put previews?

I'll thank people in the last chapter...ok? You know...Reviews and stuff.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, Miako - Yes, true, but only Sasuke and Kakashi heard that and...wait, Sakura too...oh whatever. Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't know and Kakashi (based on my personal opinion) would probably let them sort it out on their own, thinking the whole situation was funny in one way and pretty sick in another...--**

**And you guys said previews so, 3 previews at the end of each chapter! (Oh, I'm so nice! -big smile-) I hope you like it!**

**Chapter 2**

I can hear you...I can smell you...You smell of flowers...I've never tasted flowers before...I want it...

"Who's there?"

Come to me...I want to taste you...I need...blood...flesh...

"Who-AH!"

Scream, scream in terror...Just...let me...

-

Naruto's eyes snapped open, breathing hard again and sweating like before. He went to get out of bed, but something told him that he wouldn't be able to stand. As predicted, the blonde found himself face first in his floor.

"Dammit!" Naruto cursed groggily.

He pushed himself up and walked into the bathroom. His head was pounding like there was no tomorrow and he could barely get himself to the sink before he was bent over double, barfing.

"This tastes nasty..." Naruto muttered, proceeding to wash out his mouth and brush his teeth and floss many many times over.

He took a shower after the taste was mostly gone and began barfing in the shower.

"Perfect." he managed in between small barfs. "Just after the...taste was gone." he decided against ramen this morning, but that meant...no breakfast. Oh, how hungry he'd be...He barfed again at the thought of an upset stomach.

-

"Ohayo S-...where's Sakura?" Naruto asked, coming to a stop.

Sasuke shrugged slightly, then blinked and looked at Naruto.

"What?"

"Nothing..." Sasuke looked at the ground.

'_He's getting paler...'_ he thought.

"Sasuke, Naruto!" Kakashi appeared. "There's been another attack."

"Lemme guess. We're going to the hospital?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi nodded.

"Shouldn't we wait for-"

"Sakura's the victim this time." Kakashi answered. All three of them hurried to the hospital.

-

Sakura's face was pale. Her pink hair was splayed out on the pillow and she looked kinda like a sleeping vampire.

"Her wounds are, again, not fatal. She has the same strange markings on her that seem to point to a canine attack. But I've never known a dog that pins it's prey down before it attacks them." a doctor in a white suit told them, looking at the chart that hung at the foot of the bed.

"Also, it may be that this particular animal only attacks females." he continued. "But, I wouldn't stake my job or my life on that. I could be wrong."

"I see. Thank you." Kakashi moved so that the doctor could leave and that left him and his three students alone.

"Why was she in the forest?" Naruto asked.

"Probably hunting that thing down, but it got her first." Sasuke guessed.

"Probably." Kakashi agreed.

"It's a monster. And I'm sure it only does this because it feels like it...It's bloodlust...scary." Naruto muttered, sitting next to the bed. Sasuke and Kakashi looked at him.

"No way you'll ever be able to kill anyone." Sasuke said in a slightly disapproving way. Kakashi gave him a slight glare.

"That's not a bad thing, Sasuke. Not killing your opponent gives them a chance to start over or come after you. But it is the boarder between humanity and true shinobi. Some of Konoha's best have never killed."

"Few...you mean." Sasuke corrected.

"The actual amount doesn't matter." Kakashi said sternly.

"I...don't feel to good." Naruto stood up. "I'm gonna go...home. Alright?" he looked to Kakashi, who nodded, and left without looking at Sasuke.

-

Naruto's stomach growled. Oh man was he hungry...Ramen? No...he was gonna barf again. He turned a corner on his way back to his apartment and ran right into someone.

"S-sorry..." he stood up and started walking again.

A hand was pushed into his back, turning him away from his apartment and in another direction.

"Hey...what's the big idea?" he asked, his voice slurring almost.

"You're sick. But you apparently aren't capable of taking care of yourself." Sasuke's voice said, turning him onto another road. "I'm gonna take you to _my_ house, since all you own is ramen."

"Y-your house?" Naruto blinked. What? "You've lost me...why do _you_ care again?" his head turned slightly to the left so he could see the other boy.

"I don't really. It's just that, you being so pale...isn't right." Sasuke said in a slightly un-Sasuke-ish way.

"Mmm..." Naruto's brain shut down and he let himself be directed, wherever he may be taken...Even to a death trap filled with snakes and barracuda and being hung and...his head hurt...

Suddenly, an aroma filled him and his brain kick started back into gear. He blinked and looked around.

Who's kitchen was he in?

Where was he?

What was that delicious smell?

He looked down and saw soup. Mmm...soup...Naruto scarfed it down and felt instantly better. What was with the soup? Can someone say, Miracle?

"Heh, thought that would work."

Naruto's head snapped around and he found Sasuke leaning against the kitchen counter, smirking at him. He pointed an accusing finger at him.

"What are _you_ doing here Sasuke-teme?" he yelled.

"And I was pretty sure _that_...would happen too." he came around the counter and into the dining room. "For your knowledge...This is _my_ kitchen, and you just ate _my_ soup. And I hope you're grateful for it too, cause it won't happen again."

Forgetting the 'lots of talking from the town loner' update that was blaring through his mind, he focused on something else.

"_Your_ soup? Ack! I've been poisoned!" Naruto grabbed his throat and spun in the chair, then gagged and fell on the floor. "Ow...my head..."

"Dobe." Sasuke picked Naruto up off the ground and pointed him towards the stairs. "I don't suppose you'd be as willing to go upstairs to the spare room as you were in coming here?"

Naruto scowled darkly and followed Sasuke upstairs. They entered a room that had barely any furniture and wasn't really decorated.

"I don't have visitors often." Sasuke explained when he saw Naruto about to make a comment. "If you want _your_ clothes cleaned when I do _my_ laundry, I'll let you borrow, _borrow_, a pair of my clothes for the night."

"Never!" Naruto yelled, holding himself...well, actually, it was meant as he was holding his clothes, but he was wearing them so..."My clothes! You'll never take them from me!"

"Oi...you got loud when your head stopped hurting..." Sasuke rubbed his temples and went to the door. "Don't leave this room. I don't want you snooping around my house." and he left. Naruto frowned.

'_Ah, the shit head. But, he's only like that to me!'_ Naruto thought. Falling back on the bed and going 'girly' in the head. _'It doesn't mean anything of course, he's just a dick head. But he's kinda..._my_ dick head huh?'_ Naruto mentally slapped himself.

'_Someone wanna tell me when I started thinking like that?'_ he sighed. _'Who am I kidding, I'm like every _girl_ in town! 'Oh Sasuke! You're so brave! Come rescue _me_ any day!' Ugh...'_ he involuntarily shuddered.

'_And what's with bringing me to his house? Maybe he likes me! Ah! I never thought of _that_! Sasuke Uchiha, town pretty-boy, gay? In love with demon boy, Naruto Uzumaki? NEVER!'_ He smiled, as if triumphant.

'_I guess I wouldn't mind it...But, you know...he isn't and doesn't.'_ he reasoned. The 'girly' side of him wanted to smack the logical side of him. _'He's just like that. Loner all the way. Straight too. Oh well. I guess I'll have to live a sad...lonely existence. With visions of Sasuke dancing in his underpants floating in my head!'_ he laughed at the over-dramatized thoughts and joke.

Soon after, Naruto fell asleep, the moon peaking in through the window to watch his still pale face.

-

'_Naruto. He's such an idiot!'_ Sasuke thought as he did his laundry. _'Can't even trust his teammate with his laundry. I swear he wears the same outfit _everyday_. Has he _ever_ washed it? Maybe I can sneak it off him and wash it. Then it'll shrink and he'll walk around town in a one-size too small orange jumpsuit, trying to mug every person that laughs at him.'_

He imagined it in his head and smiled.

'_That'd be a sight to see. But no. I'll let him be on this one.'_

Sasuke turned the machine on and sat on top of it as it ran.

'_I wonder if my mom's soup is still working? It's supposed to make you feel better and then fall asleep. That way, you can get better quicker...Maybe I'll make it again for breakfast._' he smiled lightly at the thought. _'And I'll put any extra in his lunch, without the ingredients that make you sleep. If he stays tomorrow to, I'll make some of my mom's super Sp'_ Sasuke stopped that thought.

'_Why am I making slumber party plans? This is NARUTO we're talking about! He doesn't want to stay even _one_ night here, let alone _two_. He won't eat the breakfast, or my bento. And he definitely _won't_ stay again just so I can make mom's spaghetti.'_

Sasuke hopped off the washer, his expression now a sad one. This had almost been like having a friend sleep over...except...they hated his guts and would never sleep in the same room as him. No matter how much he wanted them t-

Sasuke froze in moving the wet clothes to the drier.

'_Was I a _mental_ patient before my parents died, and I just don't remember?'_ he asked himself. _'Wanting Naruto to spend the night in _my _room? _With_ me? That's just wrong. And yet...'_

Sasuke continued his laundry as the thoughts and possible fun things they could do passed through his head.

'_Slumber parties aren't something _I Uchiha Sasuke_, would do. Let alone plan them. And Naruto would never agree.'_ he turned the drier on and leaned against the door. _'Well, at least he can't read minds.'_ he shrugged.

-

End Chapter 2! Previews will be! Yay!

**Preview :** "Please...Why?"

I'm hungry...I'm so...hungry...

My fangs pierce his soft flesh and I am in paradise for a moment. The blood running through my mouth, it's taste is wonderful...

"No...I..."

**Preview #2 :** "Naruto! Naruto!" he called, going over to wake him up, but stopped just before he touched him.

Blood. Naruto was covered...in blood...

"No..." his mind was filled with images of dead bodies, covered in and surrounded by blood.

**Preview #3 : **Sasuke inwardly blinked. The hell? What was he_ doing_? Well...Naruto seemed calmer now...

'_I wonder if he's smiling...'_ Sasuke wondered as he opened his eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Bloody Nightmares - Chapter 3**

I'm hungrier tonight. I need more than one taste!

"Come on, gimme your best!"

Two...Two targets...

"Oh yea! This is great training! I'm glad we came out here, Ak-what's wrong buddy?"

More...I must have more...

My feet hit a tree, but don't leave a mark. I soar through the air at my newest target.

"Ah!"

My arm hurts...a weapon? Now you're in trouble. I just wanted a taste.

I land in front of my prey, then launch upwards, my claws catching his wrists and my body knocking him to the ground.

"What are you doing? I thought-"

I glare at him. Then my teeth find his neck. Oh, the skin is so soft...

Pain? I look to my left. The smaller one has me in his jaws...I smirk and peel myself from the first target, who is whimpering. Now, I have a second taste...

My claws find his small body and he is flung away. I can't see them, but I can sense them...That's all I need. Now both of my prey are whining.

I sink my teeth into the small one. He isn't as satisfying as the larger one. I let him go, licking the blood off my lips and moving back to the one I pounced earlier.

"Please...Why?"

I'm hungry...I'm so...hungry...

My fangs pierce his soft flesh and I am in paradise for a moment. The blood running through my mouth, it's taste is wonderful...

"No...I..."

-

Sasuke groaned. Naruto was loud, even asleep. He tossed his covers aside and went to the door. He opened the door and walked down the hallway to his guest's room. Just before he opened the door, Sasuke's nose picked something up.

Blood.

The dark haired boy flung the door open to find Naruto laying on the bed, seemingly fine. He was thrashing about in his bed and was even paler than he had been when they parted for bed.

"Naruto! Naruto!" he called, going over to wake him up, but stopped just before he touched him.

Blood. Naruto was covered...in blood...

"No..." his mind was filled with images of dead bodies, covered in and surrounded by blood.

He held his head and sank to the floor.

"No!" he yelled. Naruto became quiet for a moment before he gasped and sat up straight in the bed. "Naruto?" Sasuke asked quietly, timidly, almost...scared.

"I...ah..." Naruto's eyes were glazed over and he seemed out of it. "The...and...for-...bl-" he went to fall back but Sasuke caught him, flinching as the blood got on _him_ too.

"C-come on Naruto. We gotta clean you up..." he half dragged the semi conscious Naruto to the bathroom and set him in the bathtub. "Can you...take a shower yourself?"

No response.

"I suppose not..." Sasuke said nervously. "Ok..."

-

About 7 minutes later, Sasuke had somehow managed to get Naruto out of his clothes and yet still keep him in the bathtub. Now he was making sure the water coming out of the shower head wasn't too hot.

"Ok..." Sasuke turned to Naruto, who looked horrible, and brought the shower head over, along with about 10 wash clothes and crap you use while in the shower.

He cleaned Naruto's hair first. He put his shampoo, which incidently came in a black bottle, in the blonde hair and washed it thoroughly, then washed it out fully. He then washed Naruto's arms, and noticed the bite marks on his left wrist.

"Huh? What bit you?" he looked to Naruto for an answer but Naruto seemed to be a bit busy...but with what, Sasuke didn't know...

He moved on, to Naruto's back. About 10 seconds after he started washing Naruto's back, Naruto lunged forward and leaned over the drain, holding onto the bar above him on the wall. Sasuke had jumped at the sudden movement, and leaned towards Naruto's head to see what was wrong.

"Naruto?" he asked. He saw a disgusting substance of...something on the rim of the drain.

Naruto puked again and his body started shaking. Sasuke now knew what the substance was. And he wished he hadn't seen it. Eww...He continued cleaning Naruto's back, said blonde puking every few seconds.

When the 'shower' was over with, Sasuke had counted a total of 15 barfs. He nearly puked himself when Naruto let out a particularly horrible sounding sound on the 11th...

Now, Naruto was somehow dressing himself in Sasuke's clothes while said dark boy washed his jumpsuit. He looked up and at his reflection in the mirror.

"Sasuke's right...I'm pale..." he looked at the bathtub and winced. "Barf...and blood...Where'd the blood come from?"

He looked at his wrist, but he knew that all the blood hadn't come from there. The thought of what this could mean sent shivers down his spine and he pushed the thoughts away.

"I'll...clean his tub..." Naruto said, moving over to the bathtub side.

-

Sasuke walked into the bathroom again when he didn't find Naruto in his room. Said blonde boy was found bent over the tub, trying to clean it. He was clearly frustrated and clearly sick.

Sasuke made his way quietly over to Naruto and stood behind him. Then he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and Naruto flinched at the contact. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly of their own accord as he looked at a mark he hadn't seen before on Naruto's arm.

'_That looks like a kunai wound...'_ Sasuke thought. He looked to Naruto's hand, the one not scrubbing the bath tub. _'And that looks like teeth marks. Naruto...how'd this happen to you?'_

"What happened to you?" Sasuke asked. "Where'd you go?"

"I...I didn't go anywhere...All I remember is falling asleep...I had a weird dream...I don't really remember what of...and I woke up again...wanting to barf and covered in blood..." Naruto whispered, kinda ashamed that he was showing weakness to his rival.

"Well, at any rate...We have to bandage you up and you'll be staying here again tonight. You won't be training, because you're wounded and I said no." Sasuke stood up "And...you don't have to do that..." Sasuke pointed to the bloody tub, the scrubber Naruto was using, and Naruto's now re-bloodied hand.

"Huh? Oh!" Naruto dropped the scrubber and stood up, trying futilely to get the blood off by shaking his hand. He went over to the sink next to Sasuke and began washing his hand as thoroughly as possible. Something touched his arm and he flinched away.

"Come on, Naruto. You gotta let me bandage your arm and wrist." Sasuke insisted.

Naruto sighed, his shoulders slumping, and trying to ignore the sickly feeling in his gut. Sasuke took this as the go ahead and began to clean the cut, Naruto didn't even wince, and then bandage it.

"Now...your wrist?" Sasuke nearly stated. Naruto gave Sasuke his hand to bandage. Sasuke was in the middle of wrapping it up in...that clothy stuff you wrap things in...when Naruto spoke.

"What d'you think this means?" Naruto asked. Sasuke blinked, then continued his work.

"I think...well...I don't know."

'_LIAR!'_ His mind was screaming at him. _'You think he might be subconsciously connected to the attacker! Whaaaaaaaaah! LIAR!'_

Naruto's shoulders lowered again and he exhaled silently. As soon as Sasuke was done bandaging his hand, he pulled it back to himself and held it lightly with his other hand. His eyes were clouded and his expression sad. Sasuke hated that look. It didn't suit Naruto at all!

Naruto gasped as warm arms snaked their way around him from behind. Sasuke laid his head on Naruto's shoulder, eyes closed. Sasuke inwardly blinked. The hell? What was he_ doing_? Well...Naruto seemed calmer now...

'_I wonder if he's smiling...'_ Sasuke wondered as he opened his eyes.

His eyes met the mirror and in it, he could see himself hugging Naruto from behind. It looked like a family portrait or something...and it looked _right._ Like everything_ belonged_ the way it was in the Uchiha household that night...He found himself whispering teasingly in Naruto's ear.

"If you want..." he unconsciously snuggled closer to the blond. "I can make you some more soup..." Naruto was about to protest. "It'll help you sleep tonight..." There was a pause, and then Naruto nodded as he gulped. Sasuke smiled. "Alright then...I'll go make some..."

As he got to the door, Sasuke paused and turned around, still talking softly.

"I just don't like to see you sick...It...It's not...right." he glanced at the mirror, the image in it earlier still fresh in his mind, and then left. Soon after he left the doorway, Sasuke felt a delayed and _very_ strong blush leap onto his face.

-

Naruto nearly _fell_ onto the sink after Sasuke left. He took a shuddering breath, trying to control his pounding heart. He felt feverish, but knew it wasn't his being sick. Sasuke...Sasuke had...

Hugged him...teased him...and Naruto found himself wanting Sasuke to tease him some more...A laugh echoed deep within his mind as he tried futilely to brush the thoughts away.

Sasuke's arms had felt so good around his waist...his breath tickling Naruto's ear and cheek...His raven hair brushing against Naruto's neck and mingling with his own blonde hair too. Naruto blushed.

His mind started playing things without him doing anything. He saw...him and Sasuke. Sasuke in a chair, Naruto leaning into his chest, sitting between Sasuke's legs and apparently sleeping. The dark haired boy leaned his head on Naruto and breathed in the scent of his hair.

He saw Sasuke's grip on Naruto tighten slightly into a caring, loving hug. And Naruto couldn't help but desire that...Sasuke whispered something in Naruto's ear, but he wasn't hearing anything. Then...Sasuke's hands descended lower...

Naruto gasped slightly and came out of that stupor. And he was almost certain that the fox had been his tormentor...

"Damn fox..." he muttered. But in his mind he knew that he wouldn't have minded staying in that stupor...augh, fear gripped him.

Was he gay? No...he liked Sakura! No...yea, he liked Sakura, but not like that. And he was pretty sure Sakura was...Naruto gulped.

Oh...bad...verry verry bad. He really _was _gay! Dang, think about Sakura, have it switch to Sasuke, and then those..._thoughts_ come back. The smell of the soup Sasuke was making wafted over him and dragged him out of those thoughts. Thoughts that could only end badly. And he, basically, forgot about them.

Naruto made he way to the kitchen. Sasuke was at the stove finishing up with the soup and muttering to himself. Naruto couldn't hear a word he said.

"Sasuke?" Naruto muttered. Sasuke's head snapped up and he turned to Naruto.

"It'll be ready in a minute." he said lightly, the faintest of whispers of a smile on his face. Naruto blushed at the smile and then sat down at the kitchen table.

**

* * *

Preview : Blood. It was somehow still slightly wet. He saw marks like a hand had pulled the window open and his eyes hardened. Naruto grasped an area of the window not covered by the blood streaks and slowly opened it. He stuck his head out and looked around.**

**Preview #2 :** He knew _he_ himself was the attacker. He had the Kyuubi in him, and it obviously wanted blood...He was...a killer...Naruto was a killer!

**Preview #3 :** "Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun wake up! Please!" she begged, taking a step back to dodge again. His swipes became angrier each time he missed her so it was getting harder to dodge in time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Naruto slept the rest of the night thanks to the soup. It was a calm, thankfully dreamless sleep that Naruto got so few of. Sasuke was asleep against the side of the bed. His back against it, his head tilted down in a sure show of sleep. The pale boy's legs were crossed, his hands in his lap and his body was tilted ever so much to the right.

The sun crept in through the window, sprinkling the grey/speckled carpet with light. Sasuke head titled slightly and he slowly began...sliding...

Thud!

Dark eyes opened slowly, only half realizing why he woke up. His mind really _was _retarded in the morning...Once it gathered that he'd fallen over, Sasuke inwardly shrugged it off in an 'I don't care' kinda way.

Yawning, the dark haired teen pushed himself up off the floor and rubbed his head where it connected with the floor. He blinked a couple times, then turned his head to look at Naruto in the bed. A small smile graced his features before he sluggishly pushed himself to his feet, walked to the door, and headed to make breakfast.

-

Blue eyes crept to the half-lidded point. The one in possession of said eyes sat up and looked around dully. His mind clicked and he remembered where he was.

Ah crap.

Naruto turned to the window and saw the sunlight. It lit the red and white window sill so nicel-

Hold On..._red_ and white?

The blonde boy crawled to the foot of the bed, noting that Sasuke had changed the sheets when he did the laundry too. Now wide awake, he could clearly examine the sill.

Blood. It was somehow still slightly wet. He saw marks like a hand had pulled the window open and his eyes hardened. Naruto grasped an area of the window not covered by the blood streaks and slowly opened it. He stuck his head out and looked around.

A warm morning breeze swept past him, brushing his hair around his tan face. He gasped at what he saw.

He was on the second floor of Sasuke's house, next to a tree. The trunk of the tree had swirls of dried blood twisting around it to the window, and the area around the window was covered too...like something had latched there while opening the window.

_Something_...or _someone_...Naruto gulped and felt he was about to cry.

"Yo! Dobe! You up? Breakfast is ready!" Came Sasuke's _somewhat_ harsh call from the kitchen downstairs.

Naruto pulled his head in, closed the window, and shook his head. He began walking glumly downstairs...

-

The day went by moderately slow...Kakashi showed up around noon wondering why neither of them had shown up. He had been planning on going to Naruto's next, but he had found said blonde sitting on Sasuke's couch and shrugged.

Hinata also came by, but she came looking white as a ghost and bearing bad news. Kiba _and _Akamaru were in the hospital as of now. That made Sakura, Ino, Kiba, and Akamaru. 3 attacks, 4 victims...Naruto gulped and his eyes shook.

After a short visit to the hospital, to visit all their friends (and not-friends), the two boys returned to Sasuke's for the night. Sasuke retreated to his room as Naruto went to his own.

Now we find said blonde strictly tying his hands to one of the bed posts, using his mouth and what little of his hands he could. In his mind were flashes of his dreams, and his conclusions.

"_Who's there?"_ Ino...

"_Who-Ah!"_ Sakura...

"_What are you doing? I thought-"_ Kiba, and Akamaru protected him...

Naruto had come to believe the rest of Kiba's sentence was..._'I thought we were friends!'_

He knew _he_ himself was the attacker. He had the Kyuubi in him, and it obviously wanted blood...He was...a killer...Naruto was a killer!

So he was tying himself to the bed posts. Making it so he couldn't attack any more of his friends...He couldn't _bare it_...A few tears leaked from his eyes, down his cheeks, and landed on the bedspread.

When the knot and tying was good enough for his liking, Naruto laid down in an uncomfortable position, and fell asleep.

-

Ah...I can smell them...They smell so nice...I can't wait to taste their flesh...

My feet push off the ground, barely missing the bed of flowers in this part of the forest. I hit a tree, and travel that way instead.

Flowers. Pfft. They smell to pretty for my liking...

-

A girl with black hair and white, pupil-less eyes hummed lightly as she bent down once more. Standing up, she examined the small bouquet of flowers in her left hand. Daisies, wild flowers, and a few lilies.

They were so pretty. She added the small yellow flowers she'd just picked up, which resembled small sunflowers, and decided that these were enough.

"I hope...Kiba likes them..." she muttered. With that, Hyuuga Hinata turned to leave.

A twig snapped and she flipped around.

"Who's there?" she asked nervously. What if it was the monster attacking people?

-

There you are...So sweet, so delicate, so...tasty I bet!

I leap from the tree and lunge at my prey.

Ack! What _is that_? That _smell_? _Flowers_? Get them _off_ me!

I begin to scratch at the flowers that now adorn my head. I pull off the lilies and daisies that now permeate my precious air. When they are all off, I glare at my prey, red eyes gleaming. Oh, I will surely kill you now...

-

Hinata threw her bouquet at the thing that leapt at her. It flinched away and began to peel and scratch the flowers off, as if they hurt it somehow...She took this time to see what had tried to attack her.

"N-naruto-kun?" she stuttered, seeing the orange clad boy thrashing about in front of her.

Her pause allowed him the time he needed to rid himself of the flowers and he gave her a cold glare. She shivered under his crimson colored gaze. Wait...crimson?

"N-naruto-kun...what's wr-wrong with you?" she asked, backing away.

He swiped at her a few times, but she managed to dodge them all.

"Naruto-kun! Why are you...attacking me?"

The setting sun played across Naruto's face and for a moment, Hinata saw the peaceful look of sleep upon his face...Was that it?

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun wake up! Please!" she begged, taking a step back to dodge again. His swipes became angrier each time he missed her so it was getting harder to dodge in time.

Hinata gasped as her foot caught a root and she tripped over backwards. When she opened her eyes, Hinata saw Naruto's right hand rushing at her. It was tied lightly by a thick rope...Her eyes widened both from realization and the shock of sudden impact from the blow she just received in both shoulders...

Hinata raised both hands, even though it pained her. Naruto's head comes down, biting her on the neck and beginning to 'eat' her like he did the others. She winced at the pain but managed to put her small hands on each of Naruto's shoulders.

"Naruto-kun...I know you...you don't want to hurt me...You know it's been you...don't you? And you've tried to stop...haven't you?" her voice was unusually steady. "I...I don't blame you...N-Naruto-k...kun..." her eyes were beginning to cloud over from the blood loss...

-

'_Naruto-kun, I know you don't want to hurt me...'_

Hinata?

'_You know it's been you, don't you?'_

Yes...I attacked my friends...

'_And you've tried to stop...haven't you?'_

Yea...wait, tried? Hinata! What am I doing _right _now?

'_I_ _don't blame you Naruto-kun.'_

Hinata!

-

His eyes flashed from crimson red to the lightest of blues...

Blood...He could taste blood...Smell it, he was breathing it...

The blonde backed away from the smaller girl, staring at her with horror evident on his face. She smiled sadly at him, hands still on his shoulders.

"Y-you woke up...Naruto...kun..." her smile turned happy before her form went limp in his arms...

"Hinata?...Hinata!" he yelled, shaking her.

When she didn't move, he picked her up bridal style and began running towards the hospital.

'_Hinata...thank you for waking me up...before I killed you...'_ He began to cry as he ran. _'Please don't die!'_

Kakashi was there when Naruto arrived at Konoha hospital. He gasped softly at the sight of a bloody Hinata being carried by a bloody Naruto. But the blood was all Hinata's...

He called for a doctor and they took her away immediately.

-

Done!

**Preview :** Whether it was from concern or not, Naruto didn't care. His eyes flashed to purple as his face showed rage. But as soon as it had come, Naruto gasped softly. He closed his eyes and covered his mouth, backing away into the door away from Sasuke.

"Sasuke...you shouldn't even...be near me..." he whispered.

"And why not dobe?" Sasuke asked angrily.

**Preview #2 :** The demon's teeth dug into his neck, thankfully missing any vital points as Kyuubi began to taste the blood once more...

'_Kyuubi...it's a _Vampire_!'_

**Preview #3 : **Startled blue eyes met his own, black ones. Naruto noticed the glassy look and his face portrayed fear. Naruto backed away, staring at his hands and hyperventilating...No...it wasn't true...It _wasn't true_!


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey Prozacfairy, have you noticed that in all your reviews except the last one...you said 'happy ending.'? -smile-**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

"If you had not brought her in right when you did, she might be dead. Several small scratches, a bruise on her back, the severe bite on her neck, and the deep claw wounds to her shoulders...She's lucky. Truly lucky." A doctor dressed in white explained to them as Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi sat in the waiting room of the hospital.

Naruto wasn't talking...At the moment, he was wearing some of Sasuke's clothes, his were in a bag at Sasuke's feet...covered in blood once more...

Sasuke stood up and took to standing in front of the blonde. Kakashi looked at them and sighed.

"Hurry and take Naruto home Sasuke. I think he needs some sleep." the silver haired Jounin stated in a tired voice. "I'll be staying to watch over our 4 comatose comrades." He managed a small smile as he pat Sasuke on the shoulder before leaving the room.

Silence echoed after he left.

"Come on." Sasuke's voice cut the quiet like a knife as he lifted the bag off the floor. "We should be getting back to the house..." he refused to look directly at the blonde, for reasons even he didn't know.

-

As the door shut behind them, Naruto stopped. Sasuke took his shoes off at the door and was 4 steps away when the blonde spoke. It was the first time since Hinata collapsed...

"Sasuke..."

"What were you _doing _out there anyway?" the dark boy snapped softly. "You were _supposed _to be in bed. I _thought_ you were sick."

He lifted his eyes to stare sternly at the blonde boy behind him. Naruto's head was slightly down, but he could still see the dull eyes...filled with doubt and fear...

"Sasuke...I..." he tried to say something, but he couldn't talk... This seemed to only anger Saasuke further.

"You could've gotten _killed_! That..._thing_ is was attacked Hinata! It might've gotten you too!" Sasuke yelled. "And you were being _stupid_ for even _being_ out there in the forest anyway!"

Whether it was from concern or not, Naruto didn't care. His eyes flashed to purple as his face showed rage. But as soon as it had come, Naruto gasped softly. He closed his eyes and covered his mouth, backing away into the door away from Sasuke.

"Sasuke...you shouldn't even...be near me..." he whispered.

"And why not dobe?" Sasuke asked angrily, only half noticing the state of the other boy.

"Because_ I'm_ the one who attacked them!" he yelled. Sasuke paused. "I know it was me...I've been having those _dreams_...Those_ nightmares_...about attacking my friends! I know they weren't dreams!"

"Naruto. There's no proo-" Sasuke started, trying to console him.

"Yes there is!" Naruto interrupted. Sasuke stopped as the blonde sank to the floor. "Tonight...Hinata was attacked, _right_? Well the only reason she's not _dead _is 'cause she stopped me...! She managed to...to stop me from killing her!"

The distressed blonde brought his knees to his chest, but didn't wrap his arms around them because he was covering his eyes with them. Sasuke could only stare with disbelieving eyes.

"I woke up with my _teeth_ in her _neck_!" he yelled. "I'm...dangerous..." Naruto's voice was incredibly soft by this point.

"Naruto, you-" Sasuke went to disprove the boy, but found he couldn't think of anything to say. It was clear that Naruto _had_ to be the attacker, there was nothing to prove it false...

Suddenly, the blonde boy leapt up and ran from the house. He actually jumped out the _window_! Sasuke ran to the window and looked out of it. Naruto was headed to the woods!

"Naruto!" he yelled after the boy. Sasuke threw his shoes on and began to chase after the other boy.

-

'_Sasuke...I don't...wanna hurt you!'_

Tears poured from his baby blue eyes as Naruto ran through the forest. He tripped but caught himself before a sudden jolt echoed through his body.

He heard laughter as his vision left him. The tears slowed as he fell, the ground rushing up to meet him.

'_No...Sasuke run!'_

-

"Naruto! Naruto!" Sasuke called out as he ran. He froze upon seeing the blonde boy laying on the ground. "Naruto!"

Rushing over, the dark boy rolled Naruto onto his back and shook him lightly. Blue eyes opened...wait, they were red...not blue...

Naruto lunged at him and Sasuke barely managed to dodge before this red-eyed-Naruto attacked again. If Sasuke were to be truthful, he would say that the red of Naruto's eyes scared him. But Sasuke didn't feel like admitting such things, so it would be forgotten moments later and he would leave it at that.

"Ah!" Naruto's claws scratched his side.

Wait...claws? Yea, Naruto had claws, fangs, red eyes, he had the general aura of...a demonic fox...

"Kyuubi?" he blinked inwardly at the word. Where had that come from?

Now he remembered! Kyuubi was the demon fox that attacked the village 15 years prior. The 4th had killed it, losing his own life in the process. Why had that name come from his mouth?

Naruto began laughing, but it wasn't Naruto's voice...it was deeper.

"Yes, little one? You called my name, did you not?" it said in a teasing voice. "My you and that small girl are _so_ smart. She actually found out what was going on before I even bit her!"

"K-kyuubi? You're inside of Naruto?" Sasuke gasped softly as he fell over, scrambling to stand back up just as the Kyuubi's claws sunk deep into the ground, leaving a large gash in the earth.

"Not _too_ smart though, are you?" the red eyes were laughing at him. It angered Sasuke and his own eyes turned red. "Ah, Sharingan. Don't I feel privileged?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke launched _himself_ at the teen/demon, only to be flung backwards again. "Let Naruto go!" They began to just stare each other down.

"Heh, sorry. That bastard the 4th won't let me. This seal is really a pain." he sneered, Sasuke's eyes widened. "I'm hungry boy. I'm hungry for the taste of human flesh and blood. But I've been deprived of it for years because this boy wouldn't let me. But now...he's tired, so I get to feast!"

-

Naruto sat in his own mind, crying. Now Sasuke knew...he knew everything...And he would be abandoned again...

A voice he couldn't recognize echoed around him in the darkness.

"Control him Naruto. Control the Kyuubi. You can do it, I know you can. You just need to discover your own reason _why_._ Why _Naruto? _Why_?"

He could hear Kiba...

"_Please...Why?"_

And Hinata...

"_Naruto-kun! Why are you...attacking me?"_

He began to cry again...

"_Why_? I...I want...to protect...my friends..._That's _why!" he yelled.

-

Kyuubi paused in attacking and Sasuke blinked in confusion. Kyuubi seemed to be in pain...Pain?

"Dammit!" he growled out as a blue chakra began to seep from the blonde.

'_Blue? Naruto!'_

Sasuke let his fighting stance die as he watched this obviously inner fight.

"No! I wanna eat him! He'd taste so _good_! I _know_ he would!" Kyuubi insisted. "Just lemme _taste_ him!"

He suddenly leapt into a bush and out of sight. Sasuke blinked as he looked around. His mind wandering to possible reasons for the run. But before he could even think of one reason, a large chakra came at him from his left, the bushes opposite the ones Naruto jumped in.

"Ah!" he let out as teeth grazed his arm before the dark haired boy was punched in the gut and flung into a tree. He looked up at the Kyuubi-controlled Naruto. He seemed...tired...

"I'll _eat _you!" The blonde swore. Sasuke inwardly smirked at the resemblance to Naruto's constant proclamations.

The kyuubi attacked again, this time latching onto Sasuke's side. The young Uchiha grunted in pain, his black eyes closing. It was now that Sasuke realized the Sharingan was gone again, but he had no time to dwell on it.

The teeth sank deeper into his skin, blood coating both boys' clothes and Naruto's face. Sasuke let out a short yell of pain and the Kyuubi smirked into the wound. Kyuubi backed off, watching Sasuke fall to his knees, being careful of his side.

"Your blood is _so_ much more refreshing than the others...I believe I'll take my time eating and killing _you_ pretty boy..." the fox laughed heartily at Sasuke's obvious pain.

Launching at the wounded once more, he latching onto Sasuke's sides, pressing his right hand into the wound on Sasuke's side. Sasuke yelled slightly in pain but refused to scream. He nibbled on Sasuke's arm, enjoying the winces from said tasty boy, and slowly moved to his neck.

'_It's...it's almost as if he wants to rape me!'_ Sasuke yelled out in pain in his mind.

The demon's teeth dug into his neck, thankfully missing any vital points as Kyuubi began to taste the blood once more...

'_Kyuubi...it's a _Vampire_!'_

Sasuke pulled away, but stopped halfway when he realized Kyuubi was coming backwards with him.

'_Why would Naruto let...something like this happen? What'd we ever do to him?'_

His mind was reeling with memories of Hinata trying to cling to Naruto subconsciously, Kiba's taunts, Sakura's verbal abuse, Ino's ignorance, and his own angry way of handling the boy. Tears sprung to his eyes but he wouldn't let them fall...He _wouldn't_..._couldn't_ let them fall...It wasn't...

'_Right...!'_

His eyes shot open, remembering the image of Naruto in his arms in the bathroom mirror. Suddenly, he was only dimly aware of the pain in his neck, left shoulder, left side, _anywhere_...

'_This isn't _right_!'_

His mind yelled, as the tears fell slowly and gracefully from his eyes...

"I'm sorry..." the dark boy breathed out, into the blonde's ear...

-

'_I'm sorry...'_

Naruto's eyes shot wide as he became fully aware of what was going on...

'Sasuke!'

-

"No..."

Sasuke's dimming eyes were wide with anticipation as he heard Naruto's voice. Not Kyuubi's, _Naruto's._

"N-Naruto?" he managed to get out.

Sasuke's vision was blurry, he felt...cold...but...Naruto...

Startled blue eyes met his own, black ones. Naruto noticed the glassy look and his face portrayed fear. Naruto backed away, staring at his hands and hyperventilating...No...it wasn't true...It _wasn't true_!

Sasuke smiled softly. Walking numbly and stumbling, he made his way over to the quaking dobe. Sasuke wrapped his arms around orange clad shoulders, the shaking stopped.

"Sasuke?" came a whisper in Sasuke's ear. It was coated with uncertainty and hope.

A light, true smile, lit Sasuke's face at that moment...and then he closed his eyes and fell over...Still holding on to Naruto's worrying form...

"Sasuke!"

-

**Konoha Hospital**

"Doctor! Doctor!" a frantic looking nurse called as she ran down the hallway.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The patients...from the attacks...they've all..." the doctor expected the word 'died' to come next, but the nurse smiled with tears in her eyes. "They're awake..."

* * *

Bam! Yes, Hate me!

Sasuke saying '_It's...it's almost as if he wants to rape me!' _Was written because it seemed like Kyuubi was going to rape all the people he attacked in my head when I re-read it...-heh heh-

My friend finished chapter 4, turned to me, and said..."Is Kyuubi in _heat_?"...I started cracking up.

Oh...should Sasuke live? -questioning look on face- -it's kinda cute-

Please review!

**Preview : **Naruto raised his head, his eyes locking with Ino's...

"_Kill _me! You said you would! I _deserve _it!...So kill me..." Naruto's voice softened, but he didn't lower his eyes or his head.

**Preview #2 : **_'It's like a lovely dance...One I've been sitting out of my entire life...Sasuke...Make it through this...You deserve...you deserve to dance...'_

**Preview #3 :** Paler than Sasuke had ever seen him. He felt his heart tear...

'_No...no no no!'_ his mind yelled.

Sasuke held the chakra in one hand, the other one, his right hand, reaching out to Naruto's face. His fingers brushed the skin, and he flinched away.

Cold...

-Authoress laughing evilly at the disbelieving looks and horror on readers' faces-


	6. Chapter 6

**Fic Slayr - Tell his friends what? -truthfully confused-**

**Note : I love my cliffhangers. It tortures my reviewers and makes them send funny reviews. -glee-**

**WhitteGarnet - Sasuke was comparing...vampire to Kyuubi...or...well...vice versa actually, but oh well...**

**KiyokoCartoonist - Why are you prodding me? -cute confused look-**

**P.S. Onee-chan made a comment on the last thing (well, basically last thing) Sasuke does in this chapter. I told her that, by that point, he didn't care anymore except for his own feelings. -smile- You'll see what I mean.**

**Chapter 6

* * *

**

This shall be my last chapter! I hope you liked it!

* * *

Pale...He was so...pale...

No, not the pale that always seemed to adorn his beautiful, angelic looks. Not the regular pale that seemed to run in his family. The contrast between their skins had been a semblance of night and day, but now...it was deeper than that...

Now the difference was that of life and death.

The paleness of his skin was scary and deathly. The feel of cold skin beneath his fingers, made the boy staring flinch back in alarm.

No...it wasn't supposed to be like this! It wasn't supposed to happen like this!

And he took off running, the air coming off of him making the pale boy's hair flutter...lying still on the hospital bed...

-

He walked through town, well...the outskirts of town. He wondered whether he should just go and _live_ in the forest to his right...But then...

Sasuke...

Sasuke's pale face returned to haunt him and Naruto felt the tears build up...But he wouldn't let them fall...That would show even more weakness to the dark haired boy...

"Naruto..."

It was spoken with venom dripping from every fiber of their being...Every syllable and letter, drenched in hate...Turning around in slight surprise, Naruto found himself face to face with none other than Ino...his first victim...

"Naruto..." her head was down, so he couldn't see her expression. But she was shaking...her blonde hair shook back and forth when the girl began shaking her head.

Ino rose her head in the blink of an eye, her eyes portraying even more distaste than her voice. Her voice shook with her hate too, but her eyes also showed a certain sadness...

"You Bastard!" she rushed at him, throwing ninja stars at him as she went.

Naruto didn't even try to block. He let them throw him backwards, pinning him to the tree 5 ft behind him. A little bit of blood leaked out of his slightly cut shoulder, but he paid it no heed. Keeping his head down, the sun-blonde let her come at him.

Ino punched Naruto in the right cheek when he glanced up at her, knocking his head down again. Afterwards, she punched the tree next to his head, above his right shoulder with her left hand.

"You..." her voice shook, but with more sadness to it now..."How...how could you? We were your friends!"

"Friendship...I don't...have any...fr-"

"You _idiot_!" Ino cut him off. "You could've _killed_ someone...Hinata nearly _died_!"

"I know...I _know_..." Naruto whispered.

"If you know...then why did you attack her in the first place?" Ino's voice was soft...Then it rose again. "I _hate _you! I hate your guts! You bastard!"

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she yelled at him. Ino tore a kunai from her pouch and set it right next to Naruto's neck.

"I'll kill you...You...and...Sasuke...He was just trying to _help_!" she yelled. "I'll _kill you_!"

"Then go ahead and do it..."

"Huh?" Ino paused, staring at Naruto's lowered head in confusion, tears still pouring down her cheeks.

Naruto raised his head, his eyes locking with Ino's...

"_Kill _me! You said you would! I _deserve _it!...So kill me..." Naruto's voice softened, but he didn't lower his eyes or his head.

The kunai drew away from his neck...the fist was removed from the tree next to his head...Naruto had only a bit of surprise showing on his face as Ino backed away. She suddenly closed her eyes, and yelled as she threw the kunai deep into the ground between herself and Naruto.

"Dammit!"

And then she turned around...and ran off...with tears rolling down her cheeks...

Naruto lowered his head again, tears spilling from his eyes to fall as precious gems to the ground, where they shattered...Like broken dreams...on the harsh ground beneath him...

-

"Ino?" Kiba let out in confusion. Hinata and Sakura stopped too.

The three of them had been going to find Ino, so they could go to the hospital to see...

"Ino!" Sakura grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her close as the girl realized she was no longer running...But embraced by warm arms...

"S-sakura?" she breathed out, still crying. "I...I couldn't...do it..."

"Couldn't...do what?" Hinata asked softly.

"I couldn't kill him!" she held onto Sakura's shirt.

"You...you went to kill...Naru-"

"Yes..."

"Ino!" Kiba yelled in surprise. "Why?"

"He attacked us! Nearly _killed_ us!...I should've...I should've been able to...But I-"

"What happened?" Hinata asked when she saw Ino was having trouble.

"I found him...I saw him near the edge of town...and the forest...I felt anger fill my being...I wanted to hurt him...so bad..." she started. "He just _let_ me pin him to the tree with my throwing stars, he didn't fight back...And when I started yelling at him, cursing him...he spoke to me...and he sounded so defeated..."

"Defeated?" Sakura repeated, confused. Naruto? She'd never heard him sound like that...had she?

"He said he had no friends, and I blew up at him again...I told him that I was going to kill him, because I hated him...for what he did to Sasuke...for what he did to us..." Everyone flinched when she mentioned Sasuke... "And he...he..."

"He what?" Kiba asked.

"He told me...to do it..." they all started. "Naruto wanted...to die...His eyes rose to meet mine...they were begging me...to kill him..." They are wore the same sad, surprised expressions. "And I...I couldn't do it...I couldn't do it!" she sank to the floor. "I couldn't kill him...because..."

"He was _asking_...because he _wanted _to die...and because, most of all, you didn't _want _to. Naruto doesn't d_eserve_ to die, does he? We all know he didn't do what he did on purpose. But I'm sure Sasuke knows what happened...but he's..."

"Right now, he's in the hospital...With a high possibility that he'll die..." Sakura whispered.

"It's been a week now, hasn't it?" Hinata muttered. "It's seemed like...so much longer...hasn't it?" Hinata looked at the sky. "I've seen Naruto-kun..." they looked at her, Ino's eyes red from crying. "He goes to the hospital...every day...and leaves looking extremely sad..."

"See Ino? It was alright you didn't kill Naruto..." Sakura assured her, holding her tightly again, trying to sooth the blonde.

"No..." Ino whispered. "He's already...dead..."

-

In the forest...Naruto lay against the same tree he'd been pinned to. The throwing stars were scattered around him on the ground. His head was down. Blue eyes were half-lidded, but dimmed.

'_If Sasuke dies...I'll know it was all...my fault...'_ he thought sadly.

Naruto raised his head to the sky, stars blinking slowly into existence. Naruto knew that somewhere, a star was going out. The light blue color that covered the sky usually, now slowly turning to a deep blue. Nearing black.

There was no moon out tonight...

'_Please...if anyone's listening...Don't let him die...He doesn't deserve it...Sasuke is...He's...'_ He exhaled. _'Beautiful...wonderful...angelic...sad...tormented...needy...stubborn...and so much more...'_ a small, sad smile graced his lips. The first smile in more than a week..._'I've come to terms with it...I love him...'_

A star blinked, and the star next to it blinked soon after...

'_It's like a lovely dance...One I've been sitting out of my entire life...Sasuke...Make it through this...You deserve...you deserve to dance...'_

-

In the darkness, a spotlight lit the people on the dance floor. They were spinning and flying gracefully across the floor. The spotlight spun to light the ones in the chairs...all looking on in awe or sorrow. The light stopped on a blonde, who rose his head from the ground.

He squinted in it's brightness, his eyes floating to the one sitting next to him. The light turned to the dark haired boy sitting in the chair next to him...This one also raised his head.

He was lifted up out of the chair as if on wings, his clothing of rags was transformed into elegant dance outfit. He looked himself over in awe, turning his head to where the chairs had been. But they were gone...

And so was the blonde boy, who had passed him the spotlight...He could hear the voice...

'_You deserve to dance...'_

His eyes softened a bit.

-

Sasuke slowly came back to consciousness. His eyes were still closed, the steady sounds of beeps entering his mind. Black eyes eased open, met with a dark room. It was a hospital room...Why was he there?

Oh right...the forest...Kyuubi...Narut-

"Naruto!" he shot up in the bed, and amazingly...felt no pain.

Looking himself over, Sasuke's eyes were met with the sight of gentle blue chakra swirling around him. He recalled his dream, the dance floor...And he stuck his hands in the blue.

It swirled around and over his pale hands, warming them. Sasuke knew...this was Naruto's...Naruto was healing him...He held the chakra in his hands with care, bringing the warmth to his face.

'_Naruto...You...'_ he felt tears slipping past his defenses, down his cheeks, and onto the sheets below. _'This is ridiculous...why am I crying?'_ he sniffed as he tried to wipe them away, to no avail. _'Naruto...why am I-?'_

He looked to the blue chakra around him, then tore the sheets off and grabbed his clothes from the bedside table. Changing into his own clothes, he raced out of the hospital, the blue chakra vanished as he ran...it was unable to keep up. Only the chakra he held lovingly in his hands was left...

He found himself at the edge of the forest, running along it on the edge of the city. He stopped when his eyes landed on his form...Laying still on the ground.

He could hear thunder in the distance...but his mind blocked it out. The blonde was laying there...eyes closed...and pale...

Paler than Sasuke had ever seen him. He felt his heart tear...

'_No...no no no!'_ his mind yelled.

Sasuke held the chakra in one hand, the other one, his right hand, reaching out to Naruto's face. His fingers brushed the skin, and he flinched away.

Cold...

The dark boy felt the tears pouring down his face. He cupped Naruto's cheek, caressing the whisker marks with his thumb. No...this wasn't right...

'_You weren't supposed to...You weren't...Naruto!'_ he held his left hand, with the last of Naruto's chakra in it, to his heart. The tears were falling still...

The heat in his left hand vanished, and Sasuke pulled it away from him. Opening his hand, Sasuke saw the chakra was gone. He felt his world crumble as he continued to subconsciously stroke Naruto's cheek...

The tears multiplied ten fold, but no one was around to see...so he didn't care anymore...

It was over...it was all over...

For some reason, he was filled with a strange sort of warmth...But it just made his heart ache more. Leaning in, Sasuke placed his lips to Naruto's...feeling how cold they were beneath his own...

'_Naruto...Don't leave me...Please! This isn't right! It isn't...'_ his tears landed on Naruto's eyes, making it seem like they were crying together.

The warmth he'd felt slowly dispersed...and he could hear the thunder, closer this time. The lightning flashed close at hand, lighting up everything around them...and making both boys glow in the darkness that followed...

"Nn..."

Sasuke froze. He pulled away and looked at the blonde on the ground. Blue eyes opened and were met by black ones...Both boys were frozen in time as the rain began to pour...

Sasuke blinked out of his stupor first, pushing forward and kissing Naruto again. Naruto's eyes widened, and before he could react...Sasuke pulled away.

"The first time I kissed you...was an accident...The second time...you were dead..." his voice sounded forced at the last part, Naruto noticed. "I don't ever...want you to do that...again...Do you hear me?" his voice was quiet but forceful.

Naruto merely nodded. He pulled Sasuke in for their 4th kiss.

-

The dark haired boy on the dance floor finally turned away from where the chairs had been as a footstep sounded silently behind him. Black eyes met smiling blue. Both of them smiled, taking each other's hands and walking to the middle of the floor. The spotlight followed these newest additions as they danced around all the others, smiling...

* * *

That's the end! For info, Kyuubi kinda...poofed as soon as Sasuke passed out...I still don't know _why_ exactly...but he did...

And, the word 'right' played a big role in this story. The image in the bathroom mirror was 'right' but Kyuubi controlling Naruto, and Naruto dying, _weren't_ 'right.'

Please review and I hope you enjoyed it! -smile-


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